Hang-fire device for breech-loading ordnance.



A. T. DAwsloN & G. T. BUGKHAM. HANG FIRE DEVICE FOR BBEEGH LOADINGORDNANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1911.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

3y M Y Mii/i?! A. T. DAWSON a; G. T. BUGKHAM.'

HANG FIRE DEVICE FOR BREECH LOADING ORDNANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. 1911.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NaroN. n. c,

coLuMmA PLANou UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BECKHAM, OF WESTMINSTER, LON-DON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS T0 VICKERS, LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

HANG-FIRE DEVICE FOR BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE.

Original application filed January 10, 1910, Serial No. 537,155.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that We, ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, knight, and GEORGE THOMASBUCK- HAM, both subjects of the King ot Great Britain, residing at 32Victoria street, Westminster, in the county of London, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hang- Fire Devices forBreech Loading Ordnance, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus known as hang fire devices which areused with breech loading guns for the purpose of preventing the breechfrom being opened by the breech actuating mechanism in the usual 'Way,if for any reason the gun :tails to become discharged after operatingthe firing mechanism.

. According to this invention the improved hang lire device comprises aspring catch situated within a cavity near the boss of the lever thatoperates the breech mechanism, and a contrivance aixed to anon-recoiling part of the mounting, the said catch being adapted toengage in a pocket formed in the gun.v The said spring catch is inengagement with said pocket during recoil and the said contrivance is ofsuch a character that, unless the gun recoils, it will prevent the catchfrom being moved from its pocket and the breech actuating lever frombeing operated to open the breech, without first releasing the catch bythe use of a special tool or a portion of the gear not otherwise used inoperating the mechanism and requiring a special movement. Thus in theevent of a hang lire occurring, safety is insured without interferingwith the ease and rapidity of the ordinary working of the gun. By meansof our improved device the spring catch is, after recoil of the gun,liberated from its pocket so that the breech actuating hand lever can beoperated by hand.

In order that our `said invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into eiiect, we will describe the same more fully with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan, partly insection, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the breech end of a gunprovided with our hang iire device, showing the parts in the normal orlocked position. Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views showing the position ofthe parts dur- Speciication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

Divided and this application led March 8,

Serial No. 613,145.

ing the recoil. Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views showing the parts in theposition they occupy at the end of the return or run out movement of thegun. Figs. 'T and 8 are also similar views showing the parts in theposition they occupy during the locking movement of the breech actuatinglever in closing the breech. Fig. 9 is a cross section takenapproximately on the line l, 1 of Fig. 7.

A is the breech end of the gun, B the breech actuating lever, and B thehandle for operating the same.

C is 'the spring catch having a beveled nose CX.

C is a recess or pocket formed in the gun for the reception of the noseCX, and Cx is a beveled face leading to the said recess.

D is the contrivance which is fixed to the cradle or other non-recoilingpart of the mount-ing for coperating with the Said spring controlledcatch C. The spring cat ch C is situated in a cavity near the boss ofthe breech actuating lever B and is adapted to be actuated by an arm Fpivoted t-o the said lever and controlled by the bar or horn D on anon-recoiling part of the mounting. When the gun is loaded and thebreech closed, a projecting nger f on said lever lies beneath the saidhorn D and the breech actuating lever B is thereby locked as shown inFigs. 1 and 2. When the gun is tired and recoils the said finger fleaves the horn D and the spring c slightly displaces the catch C in aforward direction. The inclined projection fo on the said catch bearingagainst the lower part of a toe f of the pivoted arm, causes the lingerf to be angularly displaced and to assume the position shown in Figs. 3and 4 so that on the return movement of the gun to the ring position,the said finger will ride upon an incline d on the said horn D and lieabove the said horn. As the said nger f assumes this position the toe fon the aXis of the pivoted arm F acts in conjunction with the projectionfo to withdraw the spring catch C and thereby liberates the breechactuating lever B so that it can be operated to open the gun breech.This position of the mechanism is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. When the saidlever B is swung to open the breech, the said finger f is moved awayfrom the said horn D, and the catch C, under the iniiuence of its springc, assumes its protruding position relatively to the cavity in Which itis mounted. In so doing it causes the pivoted arm F together with itsfinger f to resume the position in which said finger Will rengage Withthe under side of the horn D when the breech is closed again.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 show the parts in the position they occupy just beforethe breech actuating lever B has assumed the locked position7 the fingerf being guided to the under side of the horn D by the inclined face dformed thereon. In the event of the gun failing to recoil afteroperating the firing mechanism the breech actuating lever B remainslocked by the spring catch O which can only be released by a specialtool or by the actuation of a part of the catch not otherwise used inthe operation of the mechanism.

Although the said hang fire device has been described above inconnection With a breech actuating lever arranged at the upper part ofthe gun, the said device is equally applicable to a breech actuating lever occupying other positions.

I'Vhat we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is l. In a hang fire device for breech loading guns, thecombination with the breech actuating lever and its boss, of a catchsituated Within a cavity near the boss of said lever, a stationarydevice on the gun With which said catch is adapted to engage, means forretaining said catch in engagement with said device, and means forautomatically moving said catch out of engagement as the gun reaches itsrun-out position after recoil.

2. In a hang fire device for breech loading guns, the combination Withthe breech actuating lever and its boss, of a catch situated Within acavity near the boss of said lever, a pocket formed in the gun, saidcatch being adapted to engage in said pocket, means for retaining saidcatch in engagement with said pocket, and means fo-r automaticallymoving said catch out of engagement as the gun reaches its run-outposition after recoil.

3. In al hang re device for breech loading guns, the combination Withthe breech actuating hand lever and its boss, of a catch situated Withina cavity near the boss of said lever, a pocket formed in the gun, saidcatch being adapted to engage in said pocket, means for retaining saidcatch in engagement with said pocket, a contrivance on a non-recoilingpart of the gun, and a contrivance coperating with the other contrivancefor moving said catch out of engagement as the gun reaches its run-outposition after recoil.

4. In a hang fire device for breech loading guns, the combination withthe breech actuating hand lever and its boss, of a spring controlledcatch situated Within a cavity near the boss of said lever, a pocketformed in the. gun, said catch being adapted to enga-ge in said pocket,means fo-r retaining said catch in engagement with said pocket, al hornfixed to a non-recoiling part of the gun, and an arm pivoted to saidhand lever' and adapted to coperate with said horn to move said catchout of engagement with said pocket as the gun reaches its runoutposition after recoil.

In testimony whereof We aiiix our signa tures in presence of twoWitnesses.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. GEORGE THOMAS BUOKHAM.

Witnesses OHAs. M. DRURY, HENRY KING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

